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Comment by busterarm | Hacker News Reader

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Why do you lay fault with the sponsor pulling funding, and not with the people who opted to have someone so controversial as a speaker, causing the sponsor to pull funding?

Because we all have to get along regardless of what you believe and DHH hasn't advocated for violence against anyone. You can't unperson everyone disagreeable, especially relative to their contributions in the Rails community.

Notice I said Rails community, not Ruby community. Not letting DHH speak at RailsConf is like barring the Pope from the Vatican. There are a lot of big new changes in Rails this year that he has been championing. He was absolutely the right person to give the keynote.

I've seen a Nobel Laureate disinvited from speaking at a conference due to an incredibly offensive statement. Toxic speech has consequences.

> Because we all have to get along regardless of what you believe

False. Freedom of association is a human right. And nobody is obligated to donate their money to a cause or organization they do not support.

Refusing to associate with someone who would like to "Make Britain White Again" (among many other things) is a completely reasonable stance.

https://tekin.co.uk/2025/09/the-ruby-community-has-a-dhh-pro...

https://davidcel.is/articles/rails-needs-new-governance

People are free to say whatever they want. And others are free to respond in a variety of ways, including choosing to not provide support.

The paradox of intolerance doesn't kick in only after violence is advocated.

"People aren't allowed to do what they want with their own money only what I want them to do with their money."

Where is this quote from? The person you're replying to didn't say that at all.

They merely highlighted the fact that Perham attempted to punish RubyCentral for their "platforming" of DHH by pulling funding, but instead managed to consolidate power in the hands of those loyal to DHH. Had a bit of a Game of Thrones appeal which is I think why it has had such staying power on HN over the last week.

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